Traveling case for pocket watches



Sept. 11, 1951 D. s. INGRAHAM TRAVELING CASE FOR POCKET WATCHES Filed Feb. l5, 1948 AirPort/Legs Patented Sept. 11, 1951 TRAVELING CASE FOR POCKET WATCHES Dudley IS. Ingraham, Bristol, Conn., assignor to The E. Ingraham Company, Bristol, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut .Applicaties February 13, 194s, serial No. 8,237

Claims.

y The present invention relates in general to timepieces and more especially to an improved traveling case for a pocket watch.

An object of the invention is to provide a traveling case for pocket watches which will facilitate assembly and orientation of the watch in the traveling case and at the Sametime permit unobstructed access to the Winding-crown ofthe Watch-stem. l

VA further object of the invention is to provide a traveling caserfor `a pocket Watch with improved watch-securing means which is durable, inexpensive and adapted to prevent rotation of the watch. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide a traveling case for pocket watches, with superior watch-orienting and holding-means which is arranged to cooperate Ywith the bail of the watch so as to permit unobstructed access to the winding-crown of the watch-stem.

With the above and'other objects in View, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a traveling case for a pocket Watch showing the Watch-mounting panel in its elevated position and a pocket Watch mounted therein;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the watch-mounting panel of the traveling case including the improved Watch-securing means of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan elevation of the watch-mounting panel shown in Fig. 2, including a fragmentary portion of the case;

Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view on lined-4 of Fig. 2 with the watch in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a broken perspective view of the rear plate of the watch-mountingpanel, including the improved watch-holding-and-orienting-flange; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modication of the watch-holding-and-orienting-ange of the rear plate of the mountingpanel showing the bail of a watch assembled thereon.

For the purposes of illustrating and describing the invention, an exemplary embodiment thereof is shown` as used in a traveling case for pocket watches, the traveling case being indicated generally at I0 and comprising, in the main, front and back covers I I and I2 respectively hinged together as at I3 and a Watch-mounting panel indicated generally at I4. The latter comprises a substantially-rectangular front plate I5 and a substantially-rectangular rear plate I6, the rear plate It` being xedly secured to the iront plate by suitable fastening-means such, for example, as tabs II of the front plate bent rearwardly and inwardly over adjacent edges of the rear plate at substantially the four corners thereof, as shown especially well in Fig. 2. The upper and lower edges I8 and I3 respectively of the front plate extend beyond the corresponding edges of the rear plate, the lower edge I9 of the front plate being hinged to the front edge of the back cover I2 and the upper edge I 8 of the iront plate being bent rearwardly in a smooth curve of relativelylarge radius.

In accordance with this construction, the mounting-panel is adapted to be swung up to an elevated position about the lower hinged edge l of the front plate and to be supported in its elevated position in cooperation with the front cover, as shown in Fig. l, by engagement of the upper edge I8 of the front plate with suitable projections (not shown) on the inner walls of the raised front cover II. A central aperture 20 is provided in the front plate to accommodate the front Aface of a pocket watch, indicated generally at 2 I, and a transverse slot 22 is provided in the front plate I5 immediately above the aperture 2!! to provide clearance for and give access to the periphery of the crown 23 of the windingstem 24 of the watch. as illustrated especially well in Figs. 3 and 4. As pointed out above, a major portion of the upper edge I8 of the front plate S5 is bent rearwardly on. a smooth curve or radius, as shown especially well in Fig. 1, while a portion of the upper edge I6, intermediate its opposite ends and immediately above the transverse slot 22, is bent rearwardly a lesser amount to form a lip-portion 25. When the mounting-panel I4 is disengaged from the projections of the front cover and allowed to swing down and nest in the back cover7 the aforesaid lip 25 of the mountingpanel facilitates engagement by a fingernail or the like with the upper edge of the iront plate I 5 to raise the mounting-panel I4 into its elevated position.

The rear plate I5 of the mounting-panel :I4 is illustrated clearly in Fig. 5 and constitutes a substantially-rectangular member having a central aperture 26 adapted to coincide with the central aperture 2t of the front plate I5; and resilient means on the back face thereof for detachably securing the watch thereon With the face of the 3. watch projecting through the coincidental apertures 26 and 20 of the mounting-panel. In the present embodiment, the resilient watch-securing means comprises clips 2l formed as an integral part of the rear plate I3 and bent backwardly therefrom, the clips 21 being located at four substantially-equally-spaced points around the circumference of the aperture 25. By pressing the face of the watch againt these four resilient clips, the latter will spread apart so as to permit the front face of the watch to project through the coincidental apertures of the panel, the clips thereupon frictionally engaging the ring 23 ofthe watch to detachably hold the latter on the rear plate I5. A substantially-vertical slot. 29 is provided in the upper edge of the rear plate I3, the slot 29 intersecting the upperrim of the aperture 26 of the plate i@ substantially intermediate the opposite sides thereof; and corresponding substantially in width to the width of the transverse slot 22e. Thus, when the watch is mounted on the back face. of the rear plate l5, the windingcrown 23 of the Watch projects through both the vertical slot 29 of the rear plate and the transverse slot 22 of the iront plate, shown especially well in Fig. 2.

When attaching the watch to the rear plate l of the mounting-panel, it is important to orient the watch so that the winding-crown 23 will engagein the aforesaid coincidental slots of the mounting-panel and, moreover, both to prevent the watch from rotating, a circumstance which is apt to occur when winding the watch on the mounting-panel, and to insure convenient access to the winding-crown.

'lov these ends, a pocket, indicated generally at 30, is formed at the rear of the mounting-panel to accommodate the bail 3| of the watch, the bail being arranged to be engaged securely in the pocket against both angular and rotational movements so as to positively hold the watch from rotating and at the same time provide unobstructed access to the winding-crown 230i the watchstem. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pocket 33 is formed by coaction cf a rearwardly-extending substantially U shaped flange 32 formed integrally or otherwise secured on the upper edge of the rear plate l5 with the aforesaid lip 25 of the front plate. Referring especially to Figs. 4 and 5, the transversely-spaced parallel legs 33 of the U-shaped flange extend rearwardly from the upperedge of the rear plate I5 and constitute the apertured bottom of the pocket; while the bridge 34 of the U-shaped flange is offset rearwardly from the rear plate l@ and is bent up at subtantially right angles to the legs to form the back wall of the pocket, the lower edge of the back wall 34 being substantially on a level with the upper edge of the transverse slot 22 of the front plate l, so as lto readily clear the wind-- ing-crown. 23 of the watch. The back wall 34 of the pocket is offset rearwardly from the rear face of the back plate a distance which is measured by the length of the legs 33 of the U-shaped ange and is such that when the watch is mounted on the back plate with the winding-crown 23 engaged in the coincidental slots of the mountingpanel, the back wall 34 of the pocket will engage snugly against the rear face of the upstanding bail 3l of the watch. Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, the aforesaid bail 3l of the Watch constitutes a substantially bow-shaped wire'- member, the free ends of which make swivel connections in opposite ends respectively of the bailhead 35 of the watch, In assembling the Watch on the rear plate of the mounting-panel, the bail 3l is adapted to be inserted up through the apertured bottom of the pocket, the sloping sides 33 of the bail wedging between the corresponding inner edges or shoulders 31 of the apertured bottom of the pocket, whereby the watch is securely held against rotation in the clips of the back plate. The wedging action of the sides 36 of the bail in the apertured bottom of the pocket 30 likewise automatically orients the winding-crown 23 of the watch opposite the coincidental slots of the mounting-panel. Moreover, the back wall 34 of the pocket engages against the rear face of the bail 3l, in the manner hereinabove described, so as to positively hold the latter in the pocket of the mounting-panel.

It will be especially clear from Fig. 4 that the pocket construction of the mounting-panel provides means for effectively holding the bail of the watch so as to prevent rotation of the latter and to facilitate its orientation on the rear plate of the mounting-panel; and that by forming the pocket adjacent the upper edge of the mountingpanel and above the winding-crown 23 of the watch, the latter is made accessible freely both from the front and rear faces of the mountingpanel and may be manipulated readily without likelihood ofchafing ones fingers against adjacent obtructions while winding the watch.

A modication of the pocket construction is shown'in Fig. 6, wherein the flange 32a of the rear plate I,6a, which cooperates with the front plate l5 and more especially the lip 25 thereof to form the pocket 30a, comprises a tongueshaped member having an imperforate rearwardly-bent leg-portion 33a and an upwardly-bent lip-portion 34a, the leg-portion 33a of the tongue constituting the bottom of` the pocket 30a and the lip-portion 34a, of the tongue constituting the back wall thereof. The latter is displaced rearwardly of the rear face ofl the back plate I6a a distance such that when the watch is assembled on the back plate, the lip will engage snugly againstv the back face of the upright bail 3l of the watch, in the manner and for the purpose hereinaboveI described, the lower edge of the lip being disposed above the winding-crown to provide unobstructed access thereto. The leg-portion of the tongue is of a width such as to project through the aperture of the bail 3| of the watch, that is to say, the opposite outer sides 38, 38 respectively of the leg-portion 33a, of the tongue are adapted to wedge between the respective inner walls 39, 39` of the sides 36 of the bail, thereby to positively prevent rotation of the watch on the rear plate of the mounting-panel and likewise to orient the winding-crown of the watch opposite the coincidental slots of the mountingpanel.

They invention may be carried out in other specic ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. In ay travel case for carrying a pocket watch having a bail, the combination including: a front cover; a back cover hinged to said front cover; a watch-mounting panel comprising an apertured front plate hinged to one of said covers and. an aperturedl rear plate and fastening-elements for fxedly securing said rear plate to said front plate with the aperture thereof coincident with the aperture of said rear plate; means on the said rear plate to detachably secure said watch thereto with the face of said watch projecting through the coincidental apertures of said panel to the front side thereof; and a flange on said rear plate constructed and arranged to cooperate with the rear face of said front plate to form a pocket for receiving the bail of said watch, said flange comprising a pair of laterally-spaced leg-portions extending rearwardly from the rear face of said rear plate and constituting an apertured bottom wall of said pocket, and a lip-portion connecting said laterally-spaced leg-portions and bent upwardly substantially perpendicular thereto to form the rear wall of said pocket, said bail being arranged to project up through the apertured bottom wall of said pocket and to be oriented therein by engagement of the inner edges of said respective leg-portions of said ange with the respective outer sides of said bail, said bail being held in said pocket by coaction of the rear wall of said pocket with the rear face of said bail.

2. In a travel case for carrying a pocket watch having a bail, the combination including: a front cover; a back cover hinged to said front cover; a composite apertured watch-mounting panel hinged to one of said covers; means on said composite panel to detachably secure said watch to the back side thereof with the face of said watch projecting through the said aperture to the front side of the said composite panel; and a pocket on the back side of said composite panel, said pocket comprising transversely-spaced shoulders projecting rearwardly from the back side of said composite panel, and a lip projecting rearwardly from the front side of said composite panel and overlying said transverselyspaced shoulders, said transversely-spaced shoulders being arranged to cooperatively engage corresponding sides of the bail of said watch to support said bail in said pocket and hold said watch from turning in the aperture of said composite panel.

3. In a travel case for carrying a pocket watch having a bail, the combination including: a front cover; a back cover hinged to said front cover; a composite apertured watch-mounting panel hinged to one of said covers; means on said composite panel to detachably secure said watch to the back side thereof with the face of said watch projecting through the said aperture to the front side of the said composite panel; a pocket on the back side of said composite panel, said pocket comprising transversely-spaced shoulders projecting rearwardly from the back side of said composite panel, and a lip projecting rearwardly from the front side of said composite panel and overlying said transversely-spaced shoulders, said transversely-spaced shoulders being arranged to cooperatively engage corresponding sides of the bail of said watch to support said bail in said pocket and hold said watch from turning in the aperture of said composite panel; and a lip projecting upwardly from said transversely- 6 spaced shoulders into cooperative engagement with the rearwardly-projecting lip of said composite panel to form the back wall of said pocket.

4. In a travel case for carrying a pocket watch having a bail, the combination including: a front cover; a back cover hinged to said front cover; a composite Watch-mounting panel comprising an apertured front plate hinged to one of said covers, an apertured rear plate, and fasteningelements arranged to permanently secure said rear plate against said front plate with the aperture thereof coincident with the aperture of said rear plate; means on the said rear plate to detachably secure said watch thereto with the face of said watch projecting through the coincidental apertures of said composite panel to the front side thereof; and a rearwardly-offset flange on said rear plate constructed and arranged to cooperate with the said front plate to form a pocket for receiving the bail of said watch, said flange being constructed and arranged to form both the bottom wall and rear wall of said pocket, said bottom wall having an aperture therein through which said bail projects into said pocket, and transversely-spaced shoulders at opposite sides respectively of said aperture arranged to cooperatively engage the corresponding sides of said bail to hold said watch from turning in the aperture of said composite panel.

5. A mounting-panel for supporting a watch. said mounting-panel having an aperture therein for exposing the front face of said watch, resilient clips on the back of said panel arranged to detachably secure said watch thereto with the front face of said Watch opposite the aperture of said panel; and pocket-means on said panel to orient the watch with respect thereto, said pocketmeans comprising a flange projecting rearwardly from said panel, said flange being constructed and arranged to form both the bottom wall and rear Wall of said pocket-means, said bottom wall having an aperture therein through which the bail of said watch projects into said pocketmeans, and transversely-spaced shoulders at opposite sides respectively of said aperture arranged to cooperatively engage the corresponding sides of said bail to hold said watch from turning in the aperture of said panel.

DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,204,082 Stark Nov. 7, 1916 1,315,326 Palis Sept. 9, 1919 1,521,621 Hammond Jan. 6, 1925 1,853,483 Winters Apr. 12, 1932 2,013,575 Moffatt Sept. 3, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 27,373 France Feb. 12, 1924 567,407 France Dec. 6, 1923 

